Hong Yi is an eight year old boy living with both mental and physical disabilities.  As a baby, he had a very high fever which affected his brain.  Not long after, his parents discovered he was not developing like other children.  Hong Yi can walk and jump with both feet, but he has difficulty with balance and climbing stairs.

He has never had either Physical or Occupational Therapy; therefore, his fine motor skills are poor and he struggles to concentrate for longer than just a few minutes.  He does not speak, and he relies on mimicry to communicate with his parents and grandparents.  When he is thirsty, he grasps his cup and waits for someone to notice.  When he is hungry, he climbs into his chair at the dinner table.

His mother wants him to get more training in activities of daily living and to become more independent.  She would also like him to learn to express himself better and be able to indicate when he needs to use the toilet.  Our FPP professionals are currently working with him weekly on Sensory Integration and Speech and Language Therapy.

His family is loving, and Hong Yi spends most days in the care of his grandparents so his parents can go to work.  His little sister goes to school and plays with Hong Yi when she is home.  His favorite form of play is taking things apart, which includes his wheelchair (with its many joints and screws)!

Our staff look forward to helping Hong Yi and his family continue to make progress toward a better future.

I came across a touching text message written from the mother of one of our teenage boys.  双骏 Shuang Jun is a lively 17 year old with a wonderful sense of humor who also happens to be living with Cerebral Palsy.  When his mother needed to take an examination for work, she needed someone to spend time with him from 8 AM until 3 PM one afternoon.  Not knowing where else to turn, she reached out to FPP for help.  Two staff (one male and one female) answered the call and spent an engaging day with this fine young man!  Here is a screenshot of his mother's warm note of thanks.   Here is the gist of her message:  "I never imagined when I reached out you would respond so quickly.  Thank you so much for sending the two teachers to care for me son.  I will never forget this!"

Enjoy these New Year Greetings from several of our FPP families!  

Watch this 40 second clip as David introduces you to the site!

Last month, our local staff planned and executed an event which moved me deeply.  They took a number of our children and families to a nursing home to spend time with some people who were eager for company and encouragement.  It was a beautiful thing to behold, loving children and families both giving and receiving love from a population of people who often struggle with feeling lonely and forgotten.

What a rowdy crew for craft time!

 

Jun Xi and a grandmother doing stickers together.

Staff providing needed supplies so this grandmother can stay warm during the winter.

Jiu Mei and this sweet granny are proud of their work!

Le Le is always quick to get in on the action whenever she has the opportunity.  My hope is that this precious child will one day find a suitable work environment.  She certainly has the aptitude for it.

Jiu Mei has a beautiful voice and derives much joy from sharing her gift.  And I am quite certain you couldn't find a more appreciative audience!

Anything is possible when love is in the room.  Even an impromptu dance party!

Did I mention the "appreciative" audience?  The camera caught Jun Lin here flashing his winning smile.

Liu Jing took it upon herself to cook for the entire crowd.  She's got skills!

Hello, my name is Portia (in Chinese, 藏羚 Zang Ling).  I am the Director of Cross Care Team #3.  Thank you for supporting the Family Partners Program.  Because of you, we have the opportunity to provide children and families with both professional and personalized services.  Here is what we have been up to during our first five months of operation!

This is one of our early meetings. From the left, Karen Norman (International Volunteer), Portia (Director), Chao Hong (Therapist), Ni Ya (Special Education Teacher), and Liu Jing (Social Worker)

We did our first home visit on September 18th, and since then we have conducted a number of other home visits. We have also written care plans for six families and referred an additional two families to needed resources.

In addition to home visitation, we also make a monthly visit out to 慢天使 Man Tian Shi Community to provide professional support to a center which provides daily care for more than 200 children living with Cerebral Palsy.

During the pandemic we agreed to support several children within ICC’s Rainbow project with Therapy and Special Education.

On November 14th, 藏羚 Zang Ling and Hunan Representative Office Deputy Director 陈彩艳 Chen Cai Yan attended an ICC Walk the Wall Event in Beijing.  There were over 40 participants who gathered to raise awareness for the needs of children living with disabilities.

On November 11th, Director 藏羚 Zang Ling was invited to address students at the Changsha School of Civil Affairs.  She shared from her experiences in the field of children’s services with 39 Juniors in the Department of Social Work.  She was one of a total of 8 public welfare organizations in Changsha who were invited to interact with these students.

During the weeks of Coronavirus-imposed quarantine, it was difficult for many of our families to get out and get food and supplies.  Some were hampered from getting out to medical appointments and other needed excursions.  I was pleased to see our staff step up during these difficult days.

In addition to delivering surgical masks and disinfectant on a number of occasions, they have also taken the opportunity to provide cooking oil, bags or rice, educational tools, and even toys to brighten up the lives of our precious children and families.

At FPP, our vision is to give love and provide opportunity in order to bring hope to some of China’s most vulnerable children and families.  And our families are receiving just that – HOPE.  Hope that they are not forgotten.  Hope that they are not abandoned.  Hope that there might just be a better future ahead!

Thanks for joining us in this journey!